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Chapter Text

  12 Days. It’s the first thing that crossed your mind when you woke up. It repeated over and over in your head as you got out of bed, brushed your teeth, and washed your face. 

  Less than two weeks. Soon it’ll only be one. 

  You slipped on your clothes and ambled over to the calendar on your wall. The photo on the upper portion was of two chocolate labrador puppies cuddled up beside one another. It was a gift from your little sister, something to keep you happy while you were away. A light in your world of darkness. 

 Uncapping the marker in hand, you put a big red “X” over the current date.  Then, with a deep breath, you left your room, preparing for what was ahead.

—

 The medical wing was eerily quiet. Most of the base was empty with teams split up during multiple missions. You tapped your fingers against the table, watching as the clock slowly ticked. You always liked the busy days better. There was more excitement, and it made everything go by faster. 

 Just as the big hand hit eleven, there was a knock at the door. You smiled to yourself softly as you went to answer it. You couldn’t keep your favorite patient waiting after all. 

 “Punctual as always, Siebren.” You stepped aside, letting the older man enter. He took a seat on the edge of the bed, peering over at you. “Well, I shouldn’t keep my favorite doctor waiting, should I?”

 “Not at all.” Today was one of his good days. He was smiling and happy, but not too happy, and relatively lucid.

 “Are you experiencing any more headaches or sensitivity to light?” You asked as you typed up his daily report on your holopad. 

 “Hmm..No, not that I can recall.” He was just having severe headaches less than a week ago and he couldn’t remember. Unfortunately, it wasn’t surprising. 

 He wasn’t normal, none of Moira’s patients were. But he had experienced the worst of it, with his symptoms changing constantly. Just when you thought he was getting better, he would fall apart. It wasn’t his fault. There was only one person you could blame, but you knew better than to bite the hand that feeds you.

 You put some gloves on and grabbed the syringe, filling it up with his “medicine.” Then, you rounded to the opposite side of his bed. “Can you sit back and give me your arm? There you go.”

 “You know, we should go to lunch sometime. We can discuss the infinite universe and all its possibilities.” He leaned back and watched you flick the needle. “I’d like that. I’m sure we’ll do it soon. Now, you’re going to feel a slight pinch, and then you might feel dizzy and sleepy but everything’s going to be okay.” 

 He tensed slightly as you injected him with the serum, his soft blue eyes going misty. You let him squeeze your hand as the sedatives kicked in, his body going limp.

 With a sigh, you sent for the scientists, letting them take him down to the lab for testing. As he was moved out of the room you reminded yourself yet again. 

  Just 12 more days. 12 more days and I can go home. 12 more days and I can see them again. 

—

  The last thing you had expected was to be called in for a meeting, especially with the head of Talon and your boss. You felt like you were getting called down to the principal's office, but worse since you knew how powerful they were and every horrible thing they were capable of. 

 You managed to keep yourself calm and composed, taking deep, steady breaths. You were never allowed to be afraid here. You couldn’t even look it. The slightest whiff of fear, and they’ll eat you alive. Even though you felt like you were going to be fed to the wolves, you put on your best poker face and knocked on the door.

 “You wanted to see me?” Doomfist and Moira sat on opposite sides of the rounded table, another chair open for you. He spoke first, motioning to it. “Yes, have a seat.” 

 “We are very impressed with your work. It has been more than satisfactory. Not only have you taken good care of our agents, but you’ve made my patients much more manageable too.” Moira remarked. 

 Your eyebrows lifted slightly in surprise. It was rare to be  commended by a superior. Especially in this line of work. You didn’t know how to feel. “Thank you.”

 “You’re becoming more and more valuable to us, and while you’ve done great work on base, we’d like to have you in the field as well.” Doomfist remarked. You felt your heart sink. You didn’t want to be more involved in this than you had to. 

 “I just need to spend more time staying at the laboratory and working on my experiments while you take my place on missions. It’ll be temporary. A year or two at most.” Moira added. 

 “I’m honored, but I have ties to my home, and I can only be away so often.” You replied. 

 “We’re aware of that. So, we’ll only have you on base to take care of some patients here and there and prepare for missions. It’ll be the same amount of time you spend here, if not less. We also know that the field is more dangerous, so we’re willing to give a generous pay increase.” 

 They had you there. You’d be crazy to say no to more money, especially since you needed it so badly. 

 “And you’re sure I’m qualified enough for the field?” You remarked. “Well, everything your employer said about you and your skills so far has been true. It would be foolish to start doubting him now, no?”

 Judging from his expression and serious tone of voice, you could tell that Doomfist wouldn’t budge. There was no point in arguing with him. So, you plastered on a small smile and shook their hands, thanking them for the opportunity. 

 “You’ll have missions assigned starting next week. We appreciate your cooperation.” Moira told you, right as you were about to reach for the door, causing you to freeze. 

 “But what about my leave? I’m supposed to have time off around then.” You watched as they traded looks. “We’ll give you an extra week off next time.” 

  So much for getting out of here. 

Chapter Text

 You tapped at your lunch tray anxiously, your eyes scanning the cafeteria. Typically you ate lunch in your office, but today, you’re not in your office. Instead, you’re here for a debrief which is over an hour from now. So, you decided to grab lunch before, even though you hardly had an appetite thanks to your nerves. Right now, you have more pressing matters to handle. Like trying to figure out where to sit. 

 “Hey, over here!” A familiar voice called out to you. Your eyes set on Sombra, who was sitting alone at a nearby table. She grinned at you, patting the seat across from her. You supposed that’s one less problem you have to worry about. 

 You placed your tray on the table, plopping down with it. “You looked so cute trying to find a seat, like a little lost puppy.” 

 You cracked a wry smile in response. You’ve known Sombra for a little while now, mainly through Siebren. Through this time, you’ve learned that she loves to push people’s buttons. She’s a hacker and an extortionist, having information on everyone..including you. She’s danced around a few sensitive subjects, but never went too far. She knew the consequences if she did. 

 It wasn’t just that though. She liked you, or it seemed like she did at least. Probably because you’ve helped take care of Siebren and tried to sway Moira to more humane treatment. They were pretty close, which made her closer to you.  

 “Aren’t you so excited for our mission together? It’ll be so much fun.” She remarked. “Wait, how do you know that we’re going to be together?”

 “I went through the files and skimmed the debrief already. I couldn’t help myself, I got too excited when I heard you were coming.” She shrugged. You took a bite of your food. 

 If she was with you, that meant this mission had to have something to do with gathering intel. Probably a stealth operation. “Who else is there?” 

 “Just Gabriel and Mauga.” Gabriel..Reaper. He was also needed for stealth and muscle. But Mauga? “Mauga?” 

 “Oh right, you’re still new. He’s one of the Heavy Assault agents..Probably the one you’ll be on most missions with. He’s…hard to describe, it’s best if you get your own opinion on him. But I will say this: he has a thing for medics, so don’t let him get too close.”

 She’s probably trying to scare you. However, you have heard things about him on base and hardly any of it was positive. There were a few agents you had to get treated because of him and his recklessness. Then again most agents hardly had anything nice to say about anyone, including their own teammates, so it’ll probably be no different from business as usual. 

 But what did she mean by him having a thing for medics? That had to be a joke, right? You suppose you’ll find out soon enough. 

—

 “Where’s Mauga?” Reaper growled, tapping his taloned fingers against the table impatiently. Sombra rolled her eyes. “Late, like always. Let’s just get started without him. The rest of us are here. We shouldn’t waste more time waiting around.”

 “Very well. But you all must fill him in later, understood?” Doomfist asked in a stern tone. You nodded, while your two coworkers begrudgingly agreed. 

 As predicted, Mauga didn’t arrive until fifteen minutes later, when Doomfist was halfway through the plans. He grinned and waved, before taking a seat on the far end of the table. 

 Your eyes followed him, tracking his every movement. It’d be best if you could get a read on him before your mission. You analyzed him to the best of your ability. 

 Now, heavy assault agents were usually bigger. They had to be able to handle their weaponry. But still…Mauga was huge. Tall and broad with thick muscles that bulge through his shirt, a red button up with tropical patterns.

 He seemed relaxed, way too relaxed for someone who comes into Doomfist’s meeting twenty minutes late. Leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed, sunglasses on his face. He shifted his sunglasses to the top of his head, revealing his eyes. His sharp, red, predatory eyes. They moved around the room at a leisurely pace and he studied his surroundings boredly until suddenly, they locked with yours. 

 Shit. He caught you staring. You looked away almost immediately, trying to hide the embarrassment and fear that ran through you. You tuned in to what Doomfist was saying, ignoring the feeling of him staring through you. 

 “You’ll meet at the hangar at 20:00 tomorrow morning, and leave by 20:30. Don’t be late. You’re dismissed.” 

 With that, Doomfist exited the room, leaving you, Sombra, and Reaper to catch Mauga up. “I don’t know how you always get away with this. If I were late, DF would’ve killed me.”

 Sombra remarked. You couldn’t help but agree. Mauga shrugged with a smirk. “Guess he has his favorites. Speaking of favorites, where’s the doc? I’ve been missing her.” 

 “Don’t you ever pay attention to the memos? Moira’s setting aside time to work on her experiments. ______  will be taking over for her.” Reaper gestured to you. 

 You took a breath, keeping yourself calm. Time to redeem yourself and make a good impression. You wiped your sweaty palms against your clothes, stepping forward and offering him your hand. 

 “It’s a pleasure. I look forward to working with you.” His hand was huge compared to yours, engulfing it almost completely. He gave it a small squeeze before letting go. He grinned at you, his smile a little too wide, revealing his sharp pearly white teeth. “I look forward to working with you too.”

 A sense of dread twisted in your stomach as you felt his intense stare. You couldn’t tell what was going on inside his head. What he was thinking, what he was plotting… Something about him had warning bells going off in your head. 

All you knew was that he was dangerous. Yeah, he’s going to be trouble . 

Chapter Text

 Mauga peered over at you, watching you through his sunglasses. He smirked to himself. You were nervous. He could tell. You were trying to act calm and composed, keeping a neutral expression, but your fingers were fidgeting with your helmet in your lap, twitching with anticipation. 

 His eyes dragged over the curve of your body and your face. Such a soft, pretty little thing. So delicate too. Like a little rabbit. Your eyes darted around, ever so cautiously looking at him now and then, trying to get a read on him like he was reading you. With all the fidgeting you were doing, he almost expected your nose to twitch, just like a bunny’s. 

 He couldn’t help but wonder what you were doing here. You stuck out like a sore thumb compared to the other agents. For one, you had some actual manners and were respectful and polite. And you seemed so cautious, thinking before you spoke, making sure you never said anything wrong. You didn’t fit in. You weren’t ruthless, or cold, or corrupt..So why were you here? 

 But as the hovercraft settled over their drop spot, he knew that was a question for another time. With a grin, he grabbed Gunny and Cha-Cha, getting to his feet. 

 Let’s see if you can keep up, little bunny. 

—

 You made sure to be quick and quiet on your feet, following Sombra and Reaper. Your movements were fast and agile, only spending a few minutes in sight before taking cover. Mauga, on the other hand, was being very loud, stomping around everywhere. It was a miracle he hadn’t set off any alarms yet. 

 You weren’t the only one irritated by it thankfully, with Reaper growling in annoyance and Sombra rolling her eyes. Eventually, Sombra said something. “Mauga, you need to keep it down. We’re going to the most heavily guarded area, and if anyone hears us, they’ll be on our asses.” 

 “You got it, Soms.” He replied with a grin and a thumbs up. 

 Not even a minute later, Mauga took off running in the opposite direction, the sound of his laughter and loud footsteps echoing throughout the corridor. Sombra pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance, mumbling curses in spanish. Reaper was seething. 

 “We can’t go after him. We don’t have time. We have to get the documents now.”  Reaper told Sombra, and she nodded, switching on her invisibility, while Reaper faded into a black mist. 

 That just left you alone, trying to figure out who to follow. You glanced in both directions, frowning to yourself. You had to make up your mind fast, before you got caught. With how reckless Mauga was, he’d definitely be in much more danger. So, you reluctantly chased after him. 

 You found him with his back against the wall, hiding in a hall. You quietly moved beside him. He smiled at you, like he had expected you to join him. “What’re you do-” 

 He put a finger to his lips, silencing you, before gesturing to what was behind him. Just around the corner down the corridor was an influx of soldiers. Probably the most there were in the whole building. They were guarding the front entrance to the area where the documents had been stored, some of them talking. They must’ve been meeting to switch shifts. 

 Without warning, he spun around on his heel, walking into their sight. You hardly had enough time to pull out your pistol and ready yourself. “Hey, over here!” 

 The next thing you knew, Mauga was drilling bullets into the men, laughing maniacally. You could barely hear anything over the roar of his machine guns and laughter. You shot at some of the men with your gun, and tried to see if Mauga was getting hit anywhere. With the amount of men he was up against, he couldn’t have gotten out without a scratch, right? 

 Alarms were now blaring, lights flashing red, followed by the sound of more men shouting, boots pounding against the floor as they ran in your direction. You felt your adrenaline and anxiety run through you, chasing after Mauga as he once again ran towards the danger. He was a nightmare. They have to keep him on a leash or something. 

 He smacked a guard with one of his guns, punched another, causing him to be sent flying towards the wall, before taking the time to reload. You stood beside him, shooting at the men. You hit one in the foot, another in the chest, and one in the shoulder. None were fatal blows, of course. Just something to slow them down. 

 Mauga hardly cared if they lived or died, he just seemed trigger happy. Thankfully, all the violence eventually came to an end when you heard Sombra announce that they had the documents over the communicator and that it was time to get out. 

—

 You were very frustrated. Unfortunately, there was nothing you could do because the main cause of your frustration was sitting right in front of you, getting his shoulder patched up from a grazed bullet. He could’ve gotten you all killed today with his recklessness. You could’ve lost everything. You have to live. There are people out there waiting for you that need you, and you’re not going to let them down just because of one  heavy assault agent’s carelessness. 

 “You’re good to go.” You said with a sigh, pulling away from him and removing your gloves. “Thanks, Doc. I owe you one.” 

 You hummed in response, shutting your medkit and placing it on the seat beside you. Then, you made your way to the cockpit, where Reaper was flying the hovercraft, and Sombra was sitting. “Is he like that on every mission?” 

 Sombra gave you an apologetic look. You’ve got to be kidding. Normally you would keep your mouth shut, but you were too angry and this was ridiculous. 

 “How can he get away with that? It was supposed to be a stealth mission and he almost got us killed. We hardly got out of there.” 

 “Unfortunately, there’s nothing we can do about it. Mauga knows how to trick the system. Yeah, he totally blew up the stealth operation, but he made sure there were no witnesses left behind and we got all the documents we needed. As long as DF is happy, he can do whatever he wants.” 

 You bit the inside of your cheek in anger. This is insane. He’s insane. 

 “Sorry amiga, but it’s just how things are with Mauga. Trust me, if we could do anything about it, he’d be long gone.” 

 If that’s how things are, you’re going to need a much bigger pay increase. 

Chapter Text

 You had done exactly what Mauga wanted. Even though you were reluctant, you still did it. You kept up with him, followed him blindly into battle, and trusted him. You probably shouldn’t have. It only made him more obsessed. You were perfect. 

 You even patched him up after, despite how you were fuming. You sat beside him and fixed his shoulder, pretending as if the scowl on your face was due to your focus and not his actions. He smirked at the sight. 

 Sweet little bunny, trying so hard to be nice even though she’s furious. 

 He wondered how much he’d have to push until you’d finally snap. Until the bunny showed her teeth. He wondered how sharp your teeth were. If you worked for a place like this, they had to be pretty sharp. It’s the only way you could survive. Kindness and patience alone would get you killed. Yet, you had shown both. 

 He was curious. Awfully curious. Why are you working at a place like this, when you aren’t a bad person? When you haven’t done horrible things like the rest of them? Who are you? 

 There was only one person who could answer his questions. 

 “Hey Soms, what’re you up to?” He asked after basically barging into her room. 

 She sighed, glancing away from the codes on her screens to look over at him briefly. “I’m hacking a very important database. I don’t have time for chit-chat right now.” 

 “A’right, a’right, I’ll skip the small talk. I was wondering what you had on our new doctor friend.” She paused momentarily. He managed to get a reaction out of her. Whatever she had on you, it had to be good. 

 With the wave of her hand, the holographic screens faded to nothing. She turned to face him, the only thing illuminating her room being the lamp on her desk that let out a soft pink light. She frowned and crossed her arms. 

 “You know you have a bad history with medics, right?  Maybe you should look into someone else. Like another heavy assault agent, or a trooper, or here’s a much safer option, someone you don’t work with.” 

 He ignored the sting at the mention of his history, brushing it off. “Awww, I didn’t mean to make you jealous, Soms. Don't worry, you’ll always be my favorite. You don’t have to get so tense. I’m just..trying to get information. That’s all.” 

 Sombra’s not dumb. He knows that. She can see through him and his stupid flirting attempts, but it still manages to soften her up. That and the fact that she knows he won’t leave until he gets what he wants. 

 “Mauga, it’s not a good idea. She’s friends with some pretty powerful people, and she’s serious. Don’t try to mess around with her. It won’t end well. And I’ll save you some time by telling you: She doesn’t like you, and she never will.” She remarked. 

 “Ouch.” He raised a hand over one of his hearts, wounded. “Well, thanks anyway. See you later, Soms!” 

 She had given him enough. He can figure out the rest on his own. 

–

 The last thing you had expected or wanted to see was Mauga standing in your office. It was one of your slow days, a day you could take a break from him and the craziness of a mission, where you could relax a little. Of course, he wouldn’t let you have any peace. 

 “What’re you doing here?” You asked, as politely as you could manage.

 “I need a routine check-up every couple of days. Moira normally does it, but since she’s pretty busy, I figured you could help me out.” There were plenty of other medics on the floor who were free today, but he just had to come to your office. 

 You mentally sighed. It’s fine. It’s just a quick, easy check-up. He’ll be out of here in no time. 

“Take a seat.” You patted the examination bed beside you. 

 You went on your computer, and searched up his medical chart, skimming it briefly. Already from what you could see, there were a lot of anomalies. It wasn’t surprising. None of Moira’s patients were normal.

 You could hardly fit the cuff around his arm to take his blood pressure and the number you got was inhumanly high. He should have been going into a hypertensive crisis, but he was perfectly fine. This was a normal number for him. Probably because he has two hearts that have to pump blood through his body instead of just one. You couldn’t imagine the strain it’s putting on his circulatory system, but knowing Moira, she probably found some quick fix. 

 “So, have you always done this?” He questioned as you uncuffed his arm. “Done what?” 

 “Worked as a medic for places like this.” 

 What was he asking? Why did he want to know? Was he testing you? You decided it was safe enough to answer. “Places like this? Pretty much, but they weren’t as...formal. And I’ve done a lot of things, but I mainly work as a medic.” 

 “What kinds of things?” You refused to take the bait, putting his blood pressure into your chart. 

 You grabbed your stethoscope and went to listen to his lungs and both of his heart rates. “Take a deep breath.”

  His heart pounded fast, maybe a little faster than usual. It could be several things. You were a different doctor than usual and he wasn’t used to you, after all. Not to mention how energetic he was, and he seemed extra excited around you. 

 “So, what kinds of things?” He repeated once you pulled the stethoscope off. He wasn’t going to let this go, was he? “Lots of different stuff.”

“Why? Why did you do those things? I mean, why did you choose this kinda life?” 

“You’re full of questions today, huh?” 

 He shrugged with a grin. “I just want to get to know ya, that’s all. Especially since we’re going to be work buddies now.” 

 “I’m sure we will get to know each other better, but for now, don’t worry. All you need to know is that I know what I’m doing, and you can trust me. Now, can you take off your shirt?” 

 It was standard procedure for his checkups. Check his chest plates and make sure there are no abnormal growths on his pectorals, and make sure there’s no hemorrhaging.

 “Sure.” He gave you an all too eager smirk. 

 He looked bigger without his shirt if that was even possible. Tattoos lined his muscular upper body, intricate designs and patterns dancing on his skin. You’d never admit it out loud, but it was nice to look at. And he was so big and strong..he could probably crush you if he wanted. 

 You knew better than to stare for too long. He was already smug enough and didn’t need another boost to his ego. So, you made sure to focus instead. 

 “No abnormal swelling. Any pain?” 

 “No.” 

 “What about that grazed bullet, how are you feeling?” You gazed at his shoulder and saw that it had completely healed. It was like it never happened. 

 “All better, thanks to you, doc.” He winked at you. 

 “Well, you’re good to go.” 

 “Thanks.” He slipped his shirt back on. “I’m sure you and I will be getting to know each other really well.” 

 You didn’t like how he said that and flashed him a nervous smile in return. “I look forward to it.” 

Chapter Text

3 days. That’s how many days it should’ve been until you could see them. Instead, it would be another fifteen, due to the two weeks added into your schedule. But that’ll be another two weeks that you’ll be able to take off and spend time with them. 

 You hadn’t even called them yet to give them the news. Partly because you were so slammed with missions and work, and partly because you know how disappointed they all will be. But no matter how much it hurts, you know you have to do it, before it’s too late. 

 So, here you sat in your office, staring at the phone. You have to do this. It’s all for them. You reminded yourself.  With a deep breath, you dialed up the numbers, trying to ignore the tightness in your chest, and the anxiety festering in your stomach. 

 “Hello?” Your brother, RJ answered, after a few rings. At seventeen, he was the oldest out of all your siblings. It wasn’t surprising. He was the only one who had your number, and the only one you could trust with it.

 “Hey, it’s me.” You hated how shaky your voice was. You missed hearing his voice. 

 “Is everything okay? I didn’t expect you to call. You normally don’t call when you’re coming home soon.” 

 He was the only one who knew about your job, about what you really did. Well, it was him and your mother, before she passed away. While your mother had separate opinions, he had grown to accept what you did. He knew it was for the best, to give him and the rest of your family the best life you could.

 Almost instantly, you heard your younger siblings’ voices in the background. They must’ve been listening in on his conversation. You heard them saying your name, calling out to you and chattering excitedly amongst each other, asking if they could talk to you, if you were on your way already to come see them. 

 “This is a private conversation, okay? Once I’m done, I’ll let you guys talk to her. Now go.” RJ  shooed your younger siblings away. You laughed at their excitement, but felt a knife twist in your stomach at the reminder that you were about to let them down. “Sorry. What were you saying?” 

 “It’s about coming home soon. I have some news. I got a promotion at work, and it’s going to keep me from home a little longer. So I won’t be home for another two weeks basically, but they’ll be giving me an extra week off so I can spend more time with you guys, and I’ll be getting paid a lot more.” 

 “Oh.” He went quiet for a beat. “Does- is this promotion going to make your job more dangerous?” 

 You didn’t want to lie to him, but you don’t want him to worry. All you know is that no matter what, you’ll be making your way home to them. Even if you have to crawl out of your grave to do so. Nothing will stop you. You can’t die. You can’t. They need you and you need them. 

 “You know I have to do this, RJ. I have no other choice.” 

 He sighed softly on the other line. “I’ll let you talk to the rest of the family.” 

–

 “I miss you guys so much. Okay, Okay, I love you, bye.” You put the phone down, hiding your face in your hands. You banged a fist against the table, hitting it so hard that the wood splintered a little and your knuckles burned. “Fuck!”

 The anger melted away quickly, turning into something much more sad and sorrowful. You sat in your office and you cried. You cried for your family, and for yourself. Doing this work and being surrounded by these people is exhausting. Not that you’re better than them, because you’re not. You’ve done things that are just as bad, probably even worse, for the money, to provide for your family and their future when no one else could. It killed you sometimes and tore you up inside. Especially when you couldn’t see them. 

 But you knew you had to keep going. You had to get through this. You had to push. 

 Taking a deep breath, you brushed away your tears and got to your feet. After a moment, you left your office and went back to the medical wing. Time to get back to work. 

–

 Gabriel Reyes is human. It’s something you’re reminded of every time he takes off his mask and you can see his face, even though it’s severely mutilated, scars and gashes so deep you could see into his jaw bone and a part of his mouth, his skin pale and ghastly, he’s still human. Flesh and blood, muscle and bone. Even after all the horrible things he’s done, after all the horrible things done to him, he’s still human. 

 “What’s wrong?” He asked as you finished taking his vitals. That surprised you. He was always very private, never one to share with others or pry. You didn’t think he cared. 

 “It’s nothing.” It seemed like both your masks were slipping today. 

 “You almost punctured my vein when you put the IV in.” He remarked, eyeing you as you grabbed the needles for his daily injections.

 You placed a gentle hand on his arm, rolling up his sleeve so you could have access to his shoulder. You placed the lined up the first syringe, poked it into his skin and squeezed, injecting the black liquid into him. Then, you put it down, covering it with a small bandage. 

 When you grabbed the second needle, you spoke. “It’s just, with the way Mauga has been acting on our missions. He’s so reckless and irresponsible. One day he might just get us all killed. And that’s the last thing I need right now.” 

 “You’re scared of dying?” Most people would answer yes, but in this line of work, it was always different. Death was much more nuanced, especially to him. 

 “No, more like..leaving things behind. Things that need my care. Things that I need to live for.” You injected the needle into his opposite shoulder. He was quiet for a moment, a solemn look in his eye. Like he understood. Like he knew. Then, he spoke. 

 “You can’t let him get to you. Almost everything he does is for attention. He wants to get a rise out of you, he wants to see you fuming. The more angry you get, the more risky his actions become. So don’t let him see it.”  

 “So I’m just supposed to be fine with him going around and doing whatever he wants?” You dropped the empty syringe on the table with a loud clang! 

 “No, of course not. The bastard makes me so angry, that I wish I could kill him. But with the way things are, and his relationship with Doomfist, there’s not much we can do. And you especially need to be careful, since he’s set his eyes on you. He wants your attention more than anyone around here.” 

 You frowned. “Why?” 

 His eyes darkened. “You don’t want to know.” 

Chapter Text

 He did it. He finally did it. Pushed you past your breaking point, to a place of no return. 

 No one had done it in a long, long time. You honestly thought you had finally managed to train yourself to hold back, to not snap unless it was absolutely necessary. You always did have a nasty temper, after all. And you knew in this line of work, that was something you had to control. So, you did. 

 But Mauga broke you. You tried to listen to the advice Reyes gave about him, you really did. You knew Mauga was just trying to get a rise out of you, knew that he loved to get the best of others’ and their emotions, loved having that control and attention, and you knew you shouldn’t give it to him. But today, he had pushed it too far. Yet another mission where you barely escaped by the skin of your teeth, thanks to his brash and reckless behavior. But it was too close this time. Far too close for your comfort. 

 The moment you boarded the hover plane, you felt it kick in. All the pent up rage and emotions overtaking you. You had been holding back so much on the mission that you were practically shaking with anger. And now that the two of you were alone, you let it all go.

 “What the hell were you thinking?!” You snapped at him, removing your helmet and tossing it onto the ground. The built in glass visor of your helmet cracked from the impact, crimson colored glass shards scattering across the floor, making a loud crackling sound. It bounced once and then twice, before rolling under one of the seats.  You were too angry to care.

 “Are you trying to get us all killed? Do you think it’s funny or something?” You gazed up at the bigger man, only to see him smiling in response. A smug, smarmy smile, his chin tipped downward slightly so he could keep eye contact with you. He showed no fear or remorse for his actions, no. If anything, he was enjoying this, like you should’ve expected. 

 “I don’t know what you’re so upset about, the mission was a success. Sombra extracted the data we needed, and we all got out, safe and sound. You need to relax, lapiti, before you burst a blood vessel or something.” He spoke so casually, only infuriating you further. 

 “Relax? I need to relax? A bullet missed my head by this much!” You held up your finger and thumb to him, pressing them close together so they were almost touching. “I could’ve died, all because you wanted to charge into here guns blazing, like you always do.” 

 “But you turned out just fine. Besides, I was protecting you, I wouldn’t let that happen. You need to trust me more. In fact, I helped us complete the mission successfully. If I didn’t distract all those guards, then Sombra wouldn’t have enough time to finish the extraction. You should be thanking me.” 

 Thanking him? Your blood felt like it was boiling, the heat prickling under your skin. You clenched your fist and gritted your teeth, doing everything in your power to keep yourself from becoming violent. 

 No. You knew better than that. Even in your enraged state, you knew better than that. No matter how badly you wanted to hit him, it would be a bad idea. So, you shut your eyes and took a deep breath, and then you spoke. 

 You might not hit him, but you have plenty left to say. 

 “You know what? Go ahead. Keep playing with people’s lives, but this isn’t a game, Mauga, and soon, it’ll bite you in the ass, and when it does, I won’t be able to help you. Honestly I don’t even want to help you right now. I’d rather help anyone else. Hell, I’d let myself get shot if it meant not having to work with you.” 

 Something in Mauga’s expression shifted at that, making his eyes darken, and for a moment, you thought you had finally struck a nerve. But then he started laughing. It was different from his typical loud and boisterous cackling. It was worse, a low deep chuckle in his baritone voice, smug, and conniving. 

 It made you nervous in a way that it shouldn’t, and you couldn’t help but wonder what he was thinking. 

—

 Mauga was hardly listening to what you were saying. He was having way too much fun. It seemed like this mission was the straw that broke the camel’s back, and now his little bunny is angry. One could say: “hopping mad.” He chuckled at the pun in his head, before he gazed back at you, picking up bits and pieces of your angry rant. 

 It was nice seeing you like this, all pissed off and mean. You almost fit in with the rest of the people here. But still, he knew you were different, even now, you were holding back. He could see it in the way you clenched your fists and gritted your teeth. 

 You can be so much worse, stubborn little bunny..don’t fight it. 

 And he had to admit, you looked good. Your cheeks flushed, brows furrowed, lips curved into a cute frown. Man, he really did a number on you, didn’t he? 

 Poor bunny, so upset and mad, with no way to get those big feelings out. He could think of quite a few ways to resolve that anger…a few ways he could get you to relax. But he knew he couldn’t do anything now. Everything was far too fresh and new. It’s okay, he’s not in a rush. He likes the chase. It makes everything much more fun. Patience may be bitter, but its fruits are oh so sweet.

  He didn’t know exactly when he started paying attention again, but something you said managed to snap him out of his haze. 

 “I’d rather help anyone else. Hell, I’d let myself get shot if it meant not having to work with you.” 

 Your words stung, more than they normally should’ve. It bothered him, and nothing ever bothers him. He didn’t know why. Maybe it was because he was used to everyone rolling over for him, not even bothering to fight him, since they knew it wasn’t worth it, especially the medics. And maybe it was bringing back bad memories. 

 His lips twitched slightly, and he found himself laughing again. “Oh, I’m well aware of how much you hate me, sweetheart. But, I got the big boss in the palm of my hand, and nothing you do or say will change that. I’ll always win, no matter what, so stop making things so hard for yourself. Face it, we’re going to be working together for a long time. Might as well get used to it, bunny.” 

 He stroked a stray strand of hair behind your ear, before brushing past. You stood there, frozen in place, watching as he left, trying to process everything that just happened.

 How can he keep getting away with this? Why does everyone let him do whatever he wants? And did he just call you “Bunny?”

 This is so fucked. You’re so fucked. 

Chapter Text

 Something’s up. Mauga can’t find you. You’re not around. You haven’t been around for the past few days. He couldn’t lie, he missed you. 

 There was no one else like you. No one who could get mad like you did. No one who took care of him like you did. You were different. You were special. He hasn’t felt like this in a long, long time. A longing, a desire, a need that borderlines obsession. And he missed it. He missed you. His sweet bunny. Where did you go off to?  He had to find you. 

 Moira was busy at work when he found her, mixing together some sort of vials, one purple, one yellow, while her assistants rushed about. 

 Mauga strolled in casually, as if he wasn’t invading her space. “If it isn’t my favorite Doctor. How’s it going?” 

 “I’m clearly busy, Mauga. What do you want?” She hissed in annoyance, not even bothering to gaze at him as she handed a tray of the newly mixed vials to one of her assistants.  

 “Can’t we have a casual chat? I’ve missed our talks.” He leans back against a desk, almost tipping it over. One of the assistants lunged to catch it, keeping it still and making sure that none of the glassware on the table broke. He gave them an apologetic smile, while they glowered at him in response. Yeesh. 

 “Well, I don’t. Now tell me what you want, before you wind up destroying my lab.”

 “Okay, okay, jeez. You really need to relax, Doc. So grumpy…all that work and no fun? It can’t be good for ya.” 

 “Mauga-“

 “A’right, a’right. I was wondering where the other Doc is? The one who’s been on missions with me? What’s her name…______?” He asked, as if he hardly knew you. As if he doesn’t spend hours upon hours of his free time trying to figure out who you are, living on scraps, trying to put the puzzle together.

 “She’s on leave. She won’t be back for another week and a half. Now, I’m not going to take her place and let you harass me, so, if that’s all, please, leave.”

 “Where did she go?” He couldn’t help but ask. 

 “It’s classified and if you know what’s good for you, you’d stay out of her business.”

 “Uh huh, sure.” Mauga murmured, knowing that she would hit him with that bureaucratic bullshit. He reached over and picked up a vial, holding it between his thick fingers, and gazing at the violet colored liquid inside it. 

 Moira reached over and snatched it from him in irritation. She knew he wouldn’t leave until he got what he wanted. She let out a soft sigh. “I have to protect her privacy. I can’t tell you where she is.” 

 “But?”

 She shook her head. “But, she’s at home, at a location that’s only disclosed by her files, which are kept private..Knowing Sombra, she probably has it somewhere. That’s all I know. Now get out of my laboratory so I can return to my work.”

 “Sure thing.” Mauga knew exactly what he wanted to do. He was going to find his bunny. 

–

 The past five days have been heavenly for you. For once, you didn’t have to worry. No worrying about agents and soldiers that had to be taken care of, or certain heavy assault agents that made you lose your mind, or even if you were a good person. When you were with your family, you knew you were doing the right thing. You knew it was all worth it. All for them. 

 You were on your way back from a shopping trip with one of the older sisters, Ava, buying groceries and getting caught up on her teenage drama about which boy she likes. Since you were never around, whenever you were home, all your siblings loved hanging out with you, especially since you were basically the fun big sister. It was nice, being normal. Being able to live like this. Sometimes, you never want to go back.

 You unloaded the car and brought all the groceries in. RJ approached you, with a furious look on his face. “Who is he?” 

 “What?”

 RJ pointed to the living room. Mauga was sitting on your couch, practically taking up the whole thing with his massive body, your youngest siblings playing with him, hanging off of his arms and climbing up his chest. If it were anyone else, the sight would be endearing. But you found it to be enraging and terrifying.

 What is he doing here? How did he find you? You’re going to kill him. 

 “He just barged into the place, looking for you. Said he’s ‘a work friend.’ Is he dangerous? What does he want?” 

 “He’s not dangerous. It’s fine. Just, let me handle it.” You told him. 

 You went to the back of your house, behind the broken laundry machine,  where you kept your guns hidden. You popped open the box, grabbing a pistol and loading it, slipping it into your belt and hiding it under your shirt, before kicking the box shut. If he was trying to threaten you, you’d make sure to deal with it. You were just about ready to deal with him…

 No, no. You couldn’t be impulsive. You couldn’t let him get the best of you. 

 So, you took a deep breath and entered the room. “Mauga?” 

 “______, there you are! I missed my bunny.” The kids let go of him, and he jumped to his feet and threw his arms around you, pulling you into a bear hug. You tensed up in his arms. 

 “Can we talk in private?” You asked, in the most casual tone you could muster. 

 “Of course.” There was a dark glint in his eye, one that meant he was enjoying this, the psycho. 

 You led him out to your back porch. I should shoot the fucker in the head right here. Just let him bleed out. He wouldn’t be expecting it. I could do it. I really could. 

 You took a deep breath, trying to calm your rage. You knew you wouldn’t do that. Knew that there would be too many repercussions and nightmares and guilt. You hated killing people, even when it was assholes like him. Then again, it didn’t stop you from yelling. 

 “Were you dropped on your head as a baby or something? What the fuck were you thinking, coming to my home? How did you even find me?” 

 “Awww, don’t be so mad, alofa. You should be happy to see me. I came all this way to visit, after all.” 

 “What do you want from me, Mauga? Are you taunting me? Threatening me? Why are you doing this?” 

 “I told you already, I missed you, bunny. And you’ve been keeping plenty of secrets from me for long enough, I just had to find out who you are. I’m not gonna lie, I like who I see. Family woman..with a bunch of cute lil sisters and brothers. Do they know the truth? They know what you really do? Who you really are?” 

 You had enough of this fucked up little game, pulling out the gun and aiming it right as his chest. “Stay the fuck away from me and my family, you psychotic asshole. You come near them again, and I swear to god I’ll kill you.” 

 He didn’t seem afraid in the slightest. Instead, he stepped closer to the gun, until the barrel was pressed up right against it. Then he leaned down so his face was level with yours, stroking back a stray hair.

 “I wouldn’t be so worried about me if  I were you. If I was able to find you and track you down. Who knows who else will? Gotta be careful, teinei lalelei. But just say the word, and I’ll protect you and your family, I promise. Course, it’s gonna cost you, but I will.”

 He winked at you, before turning and walking away. 

“See you next week.”